A four-storey commercial building collapsed in the Brás district, in central São Paulo. Thirty-five people were inside, four of whom were taken to hospital with relatively minor injuries. There are no confirmed reports of fatalities.
The incident occurred at around 6:38 p.m. local time at 192 Maria Joaquina Street. The building housed a clothing store with storage areas. Eight people managed to get out on their own, while 27 were evacuated by firefighters.
The four people who were hospitalised were admitted to the emergency department in Mooca and are in stable condition, with no danger to their lives. Initial reports on the number of injured people, however, differ. Reuters reported four injured people, while local media cited 27 or 35 people with minor injuries.
Dogs Search the Rubble
Fifty-one firefighters with 17 vehicles were sent to the scene. The teams used dogs to search for people under the rubble after one of the animals reacted in the area of the collapse.
“This is an indication that there may be something there, but it is not a specific sign that there is a person,” said Captain Carol Burunsizian of the São Paulo Fire Department.According to her, everyone known to have been inside the building had been evacuated. The dogs' search continued as a precaution while rescuers removed the debris.
Cause of Collapse Under Investigation
The cause of the collapse has not yet been established. Public Security Secretary Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves said that the structure may have initially given way in the mezzanine area, where heavy goods had been stored. This theory will be examined by experts.
The area has been cordoned off because of the risk of a further collapse. Traffic on Maria Joaquina Street and at several nearby intersections was blocked. A technical assessment of the building and neighbouring properties, as well as an investigation into the causes of the incident, will follow.
Sources: internazionale.it, cnnbrasil.com.br, noticias.uol.com.br